If You Come Softly
by friendsqueen216
Summary: Jess offers Rory a once in a lifetime job opportunity [LIT]


**AN**: This is my hope for the finale. It's going to be good, and original. I promise. It's Lit, of course. With mentions of Java-Junkies.  
**Disclaimer**: Shockingly, Gilmore Girls is not mine. I bet that statement rocked your world didn't it?  
**Spoiler**: Up to 7.21

* * *

If You Come Softly  
Prologue

* * *

"You should apply. Get accepted late into the program, because come on they'll do it." Paris said into the phone. 

"Aren't you in India?" Rory demanded.

"No, LAX. Seriously apply." Paris said.

"Why aren't you flying out of JFK?" Rory asked.

Paris sighed, "Because it was easier to come here, and besides Doyle wants to see the place where they print the Los Angeles Times."

"Ah, I forgot about that paper." Rory said silently kicking herself.

"Well it doesn't matter, because you're going to Medical School." Paris told her.

Rory rolled her eyes, "Except I'm totally not."

"Come on we're best friends, yes?" Paris asked.

Rory nodded into the phone, "Yes, of course."

"Well then we should go through this together." Paris reasoned.

Rory raised an eyebrow, "How do you figure?"

"You could write for medical journals." Paris suggested.

"Harvard would never accept me late." Rory replied.

Paris shook her head, "Never say never."

"I haven't even taken the M-CAT." Rory said.

"Okay well at least move to Boston." Paris asked.

Rory sighed, "I don't have a job."

"So I'll call my people to set up an interview with you at The Boston Globe, it's a great paper, and it's close by." Paris added, "We could be roommates again."

Rory thought it over, it was actually logical, "I like that idea, but I'll send in my own information…"

"Okay, when I come back from India I'm getting the apartment." Paris decided.

Rory sighed, "We're looking together, with my mother and grandma as well most likely."

"Fine, see you then." Paris said excitedly.

"Yeah see you." Rory said, and hung up the phone.

* * *

"So what fancy newspaper were you on the phone with?" Her mother asked. 

"Paris Geller." Rory answered.

"She's got a newspaper already, my god the woman works fast." Lorelai said, and then asked, "Isn't she in India?"

"No Los Angeles." Rory answered. She looked down at her feet in the way she usually did when she had to tell Lorelai something big, but wasn't sure what her reaction would be.

"Just tell me." Her mother coaxed. Lorelai didn't know what Rory was going to say, maybe she wanted to join the peace troops or live in India for a few years, because she had Bride and Prejudice?

"Well I think I'm going to move to Boston." Rory said, "Paris suggested it, and it seemed like a good idea, and its close by…"

"You should do it." Lorelai said firmly.

"Seriously?" Rory asked.

Lorelai nodded, "And it's close by, so we can still see each other. Oh I am so happy."

"Really?" Rory quizzed, "Because if your not, now is your time to tell me."

"No it's perfect." Lorelai said, "Kid, I'm so proud of you."

"I love you mom." Rory whispered.

Lorelai kissed Rory's forehead, "I love you too kid, I love you too."

* * *

Lorelai ran into Luke's, with a smile on her face, and told him, "I have news." 

"Good or bad?" He questioned.

"Well it depends. Rory's moving to Boston." Lorelai said.

"That's great! It's great right?" Luke asked.

"It's amazing, and I'm so happy." Lorelai said, and leaned in to kiss him. Since Rory had graduated Yale, it had made Lorelai realize that she needed to be with the man she loves, and after he threw a party for Rory, she kissed him answering the will they or won't they question.

Luke smiled, "That's good I'm happy for you guys."

"I want you to move in." Lorelai whispered into his chest.

He pulled her away,"We got back together two weeks ago."

"I want to wake up next to you. I want you to cook breakfast for me. I want you to live with me." Lorelai explained

"Seriously?" He asked.

She grinned, "Yes of course, so what do you say?"

"I say hello roomie." He said, and kissed her on the lips. She smiled, "I'll help you pack."

"Don't bother Jess is coming into town." Luke said, and picked up a plate of pancakes.

Lorelai paused, "Jess, as in the boy who broke Rory's heart."

"And got her to go back Yale." Luke pointed out

"If you let me finish I was going to say that." Lorelai said quietly.

"Okay sure." Luke smirked, and kissed his girlfriend again.

* * *

Jess sat in the office scribbling notes into A Tale of Two Cities. He had restarted his favorite pastime when he'd heard about Luke's daughter April. The kid was pretty cool, he was willing to admit, and in fact she reminded him a lot of what Rory was probably like at her age. It wasn't in a creepy way like that Jess was attracted to his cousin because he wasn't. She just seemed a lot like what he imagined the younger version of Rory to have been like. A small voice inside his head said, _you're in love with your step-cousin. _

Rory Gilmore was beautiful and perfect. She was everything Jess could possibly want in a girl. She read, had intriguing conversations, and she was as beautiful as they came. He had first noticed Rory when he walked into Lorelai's house, and saw a picture of her. She had a smile and was using a hammer in constructing a house that was meant to make her look good to Harvard. When he actually interacted with her for the first time, he realized he liked her. He did all sorts of things to impress her, and he thought she was falling for the charm, but then her arrogant boyfriend Dean entered the picture. That was when Jess knew he had to step up his game, and quickly got into a competition with the other boy.

He pushed the thoughts of Rory out of his head as he read the final sentence, finished his notes, and put it in a box, with all the other Charles Dickens books. The box was already addressed to April. He quickly scribbled a note down.

_April, _

_I hope you enjoyed the Jane Austen package. Although from what Luke told me you loved it, sorry this one took so long, but come on its Dickens. I was thinking that the next one will be Tolstoy. Yes, I'll read __War and Peace__, and __Anna Karenina__. How's school going? Meet any cool kids in New Mexico yet? Hope all is well. Tell Luke that I say hi, and promise a visit as soon as my schedule calms down. _

_-Jess _

Jess slipped the note into the box, and closed the box, taping it, and getting it ready for the post office tomorrow. He groaned in anticipation for his visit to the Post Office, the Philadelphia Postal Office was a mess if he ever saw one. Plus afterwards he had to go to his least favorite place in the world Stars Hollow. Sure, he considered Stars Hollow home, but it wasn't that he liked it; it was just the two people he loved most lived there. He got dressed into his pajamas, and fell asleep, for now he didn't have to deal with the post office or Stars Hollow, and that was enough to satisfy Jess Mariano at the moment.

* * *

"Jess is coming?" Rory demanded, shocked by her mother's last statement. She hadn't heard from Jess since that horrible trip to Philadelphia. She had begged the dean for two extra tickets, so that she could invite Luke and Jess, the two people who had helped her graduate. 

"That's what Luke said. He's going on a trip or something for a year." Lorelai explained.

"Is he?" Rory asked quietly, "Well good for him."

Lorelai shrugged, "You know you can just ask him yourself."

"I don't think so." Rory frowned recalling their last meeting.

"Why not?" Lorelai asked seriously, she had thought all was finally well in the land of Rory.

Rory paused, "Well…this may come as a shock…but uh we…well we kissed."

"I know I've walked in on you a million times." Lorelai smirked, "But I thought you were just friends now."

"A year ago." Rory admitted.

Lorelai gasped, "Weren't you with Logan a year ago?"

Rory nodded sadly, "Yes, I cheated and broke Jess's heart."

"Wow why didn't you tell me?" Lorelai asked seriously.

"I was ashamed…" Rory admitted honestly, "Ashamed that I still had feelings for this guy."

"Logan or Jess?" Lorelai asked confused.

"I had feelings for both, and I don't think I could tell you that I still liked Jess especially after what he did." Rory whimpered.

"Got you back into Yale?" Lorelai wondered.

"No he up and left about fifty times." Rory said quietly.

"Ah, yes that, but I forgive it." Lorelai said.

Rory raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Because we're all idiots when we're seventeen." Lorelai answered, "Now answer me one question, do you still have feelings for him?"

"I don't think so." Rory replied.

Lorelai nodded, "Okay well good."

* * *

Jess pulled up in front of Luke's, and parked his beat up car. Even after all this time he still loved this car. He parked it, and Taylor gasped, "You're back." 

"Nice to see you again Taylor." Jess deadpanned, and went inside Luke's Diner. He saw Luke trying to carry more food than he could handle he took a plate, to help his uncle.

"Hey that's not for you; you just have to wait to be served Kirk." Luke snapped before he turned around, and saw his nephew's face, "I wasn't expecting you."

"You confused me with Kirk?" Jess questioned obviously disturbed.

"Well I just assumed…" Luke tried to reason.

Jess shook his head, "No, you confused me with Kirk. I can never forgive you, Uncle Lucas."

"Shut up." Luke said, slapping him lightly, "I missed you kid."

"I missed you too." Jess admitted a bit hesitantly

"Good." Luke said, "Food?"

"Not hungry." Jess replied.

"So you're going on a book tour?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, and I'm helping get foreign writers published." Jess explained.

"Sounds cool." Luke said, "The book was good, Jess. It was real good."

Jess nodded, "Thanks."

"No problem. Congratulations." Luke said seriously.

Jess said, "Look I'm going to stay here for the week before, I was wondering if I could bunk here?"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan, speaking of bunking. I'm moving in with Lorelai, so if you wouldn't mind could you help out?" Luke questioned uneasily.

Jess nodded, "Yeah sounds cool, and I'll hope you close. Where's Rory?"

"Probably at her house, why?" Luke questioned.

"Oh I just need to talk to her about something." Jess said, he waved good-bye, and left heading for the Gilmore House.

* * *

Rory was packing up her room, when she heard a knock on her door, she turned around, and saw Jess, and she grinned. 

"Hey!!!" She shouted, and made a run, nearly knocking him down in the process.

He laughed, "Hey excited much?"

Rory smiled, "What are you doing here?"

"Well your mom let me in, and said it'd be okay, it is right?" He double-checked.

She nodded, "Yeah, of course."

"Alright, so what are you doing?" Jess asked.

She shrugged, "Finally moving out of mom's house."

"Interesting." H said simply.

"Yeah so tell me about this trip." She commanded.

He looked surprised, "You knew?"

"My mom filled me in with vague detail." She explained.

"Well it's a search for undiscovered writers, who don't have anything published, it's a talent search, and well in Europe I have a book tour. It's going to be fun, you should come." He told her.

She gasped in shock, "Excuse me?"

"Well okay there's also a little reporting that needs to be done, a book about culture to publish, you write about one of your experiences from each country, and you co read the talent search material." Jess explained.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

He nodded, "As a heart attack. I already got it approved as an idea, and I mean I didn't promise I'd get you, but they like the idea, but obviously you've got a job as a world reporter, because it's what you've always wanted to do."

She shook her head, "I don't."

"You don't?" He asked.

She nodded, "The job I want turned me down, and I turned down all the people who wanted me in hopes of the job."

"The Times is full of snobs." He said.

"How did you know that?" She questioned.

"I know you." He told her.

"Can I get back to you about the job?" She asked.

He nodded, "Of course, you have a week, because that's how long I have till I leave."

She smiled, "Okay, do you want to maybe get ice cream?"

"Only on cones." Jess answered with a smirk.

* * *

When Lorelai returned home from the diner, she saw Rory sitting on the couch, writing in a notepad, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She kerplunked down next to her reading the list. 

"Pro or Con list, huh?" She asked.

Rory turned and looked at her, "Yeah, Jess gave me this amazing opportunity, and I'm not sure what to do."

"I think you should go for it." Lorelai said quietly.

"What?" Rory asked intrigued.

"Jess explained it to me. It's a great once in a lifetime opportunity. You should go for it." Lorelai said.

"Yeah?" Rory asked.

Lorelai nodded, "Absolutely, an opportunity like this is once in a life time. And do you have any idea what this will do for your career?"

"It'd do amazing things for my writing career." Rory agreed.

Lorelai smiled, "So take it Hun, you deserve it."

Rory smiled, and picked up the phone dialing a familiar number, and said, "Hey Jess, it's Rory, I've been thinking, and an opportunity like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm really interested in it, so pretty much what I'm trying to say is that I'll take the job."

* * *

I have to say I was upset by the whole proposal, I don't think Rory said no for the right reasons, but I think Logan reacted a bit odd, I'm not Logan's biggest fan but it was still a sad way for them to end, and Richard was so cute at Graduation. **"This is as much your moment as hers."**

And Paris and Rory's goodbye was upsetting. I hope she'll be back in the final; episode, their friendship is so incredible, I think it deserves to be honored.

Anyway review, and I'll be incredibly grateful.


End file.
